UFC Flyweight Champ Demetrious Johnson Open to Superfights in Addition to Title Defenses

While “Mighty Mouse” asserted his happiness to continue defending
his UFC flyweight title, Johnson (Pictured, file photo) also said
he is game for another kind of fight.

“I’ve beaten the best of the best in the flyweight division, but
there are still up-and-coming fighters in there. I know there are
some key matchups coming up pretty soon,” Johnson said at the
post-fight press conference.

“There are still a couple of flyweights out there I haven’t fought,
and I wouldn’t mind fighting them -- whatever the UFC wants me to
do. I think everybody was focused on Anderson
Silva and [Georges St.
Pierre], but I think we can make some fun superfights down in
the lighter weight divisions with the flyweights fighting the
bantamweights. Let’s see what happens. I’m just here to fight and
have fun and put on a good performance for the UFC and the
fans.”

Johnson, who has also beaten Joseph
Benavidez, Ian McCall and
Jon Dodson since joining the UFC’s nascent flyweight division last
year, put forth arguably the most impressive performance of his
career tonight at Seattle’s KeyArena by submitting Moraga in the
fifth round. After using his wrestling to control Moraga for the
majority of the 25-minute contest, Johnson tapped his larger
challenger with a last-minute armbar to retain his belt, marking
the champ’s first stoppage win in the UFC.

“My job in the gym is to train to finish. I was trying to finish
him in the first round with a guillotine, and then I had
opportunities with the kimura. Then in the fifth round, even though
I was ahead on the scorecards, I’m never just relaxing and trying
to coast. My job is to finish and push the pace. [The opportunity]
arose, and I just took it,” said Johnson. “I’m just trying to
evolve my game. I’m a white belt in jiu-jitsu, so I’m just using my
wrestling to get to a position where I can use the submission. It
just so happened that the opportunity was there. Usually when I
fight guys, they shell up.”

Despite his masterful performance, Johnson gave credit to Moraga,
who gamely fought out of Johnson’s prior submission attempts and
top control.

“John Moraga was doing a good job,” said Johnson. “Out of all the
people I’ve fought, he’s the one who showed up in shape and never
gassed out. He was always there, every single round. He’s a tough
guy.”